FOREIGN Affairs and International Trade minister Frederick Shava is happy with the positive impact of Zimbabwe’s engagement and re-engagement efforts with the international community.
Since taking office in November 2017, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has implemented an engagement and re-engagement policy that has witnessed an improvement in Zimbabwe’s relations with the broad international community.
As a result of improved relations between Zimbabwe and the international community, there has been partial removal of sanctions by the European Union, and extension of some development assistance by the European Development Fund.
Zimbabwe also attended the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and United States-Africa Summit in 2022, while Mnangagwa also attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September last year. Shava said in line with the ‘Friend to all, enemy to none’ mantra, the country wants to be part of all key international bodies and institutions.
“We are very committed and we are still pushing to re-join the commonwealth and other international blocs that we had left or did not enjoy good relations with in the past.
“In broad terms, the ministry of foreign Affairs’ strategies include, but are not limited to, increasing global visibility, building strong alliances at both bilateral and multilateral levels and boosting attractiveness by building a positive image to the outside world,” Shava told the media.
The Foreign Affairs minister was quick to point out that Zimbabwe was not implementing the engagement and re-engagement with the international community from a position of desperation. “We are not desperate; it’s a bilateral process which requires effort from both sides and we are doing this in the true spirit of friendship” said Shava.
Premised on the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business mantra,’ the country is enticing foreign direct investment from all over the world in industries such as mining, tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing. At a reception for ambassadors and international organisations accredited to Zimbabwe in February 2023, Mnangagwa articulated Zimbabwe’s foreign policy position. “I want to call upon you all to ride on the path of dialogue and engagement, which is the hallmark of the Second Republic. Rest assured, my door is forever open and my arms outstretched to dialogue with you and your respective governments towards broadening and deepening our relations and understanding,” said Mnangagwa.
This comes as the United Kingdom has expressed willingness to support Zimbabwe’s efforts to re-join the Commonwealth. Speaking in the House of Lords in July, the UK’s minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Tariq Mahmood Ahmad, said Harare had so far struck the right notes in its preparations for the August 23 polls.
“It will be for the people of Zimbabwe to choose their government in August. My Right Honourable friend, the minister for Development and Africa, reiterated these points in the meeting he had with the Presi[1]dent of Zimbabwe on 5 May.
“I assure the noble Lord (Purvis) that the UK will support re-admission if Zimbabwe meets the admission requirements,” Ahmad said.